ray98

Yup....the last 2 years have been nothing like the 8 or so before it. The deals I once found pretty regularly have gone away. More demand so they don't have to send prices to the rock bottom to fill the ship.

I remember taking many cruises that averaged around $50pp per night. One of the best I found was back in late winter of 2010 on RCCL, southern Caribbean in an inside cabin that was like $339. Those were the days.

These questions always puzzle me. Simple math. Only you will know if you will drink 4 sodas a day. If not...no.

Thanks to OP for clarifying. Those who have responded that they are glad Carnival is to be commended for following their own terms and conditions remind me of cheerleaders at a junior high football game who are hollering DEFENSE when their own team has the ball.

I don't think anyone thinks that. People are just tired of these self created victims. They do things knowings the restrictions and when an exception is not made for them they need to run off to a safe space to process it.

If there is a process for something you should expect it will be followed, any bending or changing is pure good will and not to be expected. On the other hand the lack of change does not make you a victim.

I don't see why any of that matters. If your think you will every find a group of people where the vast majority is happy you are crazy. There are millions of people unhappy with their jobs right here in the US including coworkers of probably every poster in this topic. That server you just had at lunch....good chance they hate their job. That nice girl working the front desk at the hotel....probably hates her job. That doesn't mean they need some ambassador to come fight their fight.

LOL....I will never understand the busy bodies who think they have to interject themselves into the fine details of cruise line labor like some grand ambassador.

Just save the money. Why over complicate things?

This is why Carnival has taken the step to make all adults in the cabin buy the package. Sad they had to make that decision but there is no shortage of people willing to steal what they can.

Even if theft doesn't swing your moral compass, I can't imagine sneaking around the ship trying to get drinks for two people without being caught for the duration of a cruise. Just being served normally while relaxing on deck, at dinner or in a lounge can't happen because you have to keep up the scheme. That would kill a good portion of our relaxing time.

No set time....I have been down to the last week before. You will hear stories of finding out at the port. Odds are it will come soon though.

Yup....not a big deal.

It is intended to be used as a gift. Some people are just horrible with finances so they buy them to use them self.

I guess they can't be trusted to put a few $$$ away over time in savings to take with them when they travel. They try to tie the money up in vouchers to use on the cruise so they won't spend it elsewhere.

To the bar to grab a drink and then find lunch.

One other option, book on NCL, as the drink package is included in the price of their cruise for the 1st two people in the cabin.

....but it isn't that simple. NCL is running fares a good bit higher than Carnival right now when I researched for our recent cruise. Sure the drink package was included but it was still cheaper to take Carnival and buy the package.

Hmmmm. I have stayed in these very porthole rooms at least twice and never found it to be any bigger than other portholes or OV's in the area.

No....a PVP is just a travel agent for Carnival. Nothing special.

I don't. All lines have changed and adapted over time even though the product is still remarkably similar. Each have +/-. I'm not ruining an otherwise great experience over bedtime mints, tablecloths or any other petty complaints you see.

We book rather last minute pretty regularly, anywhere from 6 weeks out down to a week. My best results have come when we just pick a week to travel and then watch everything on the schedule. Some will go up, some will stay stable but many times a couple will start going down, sometimes to rock bottom if it isn't a super heavy travel time. If you truly want to put price in the top category then you have to not be picky about the ship, itinerary or even the cruise line.

To see if the package is 'worth it' only requires some simple math. Trying to reach some mystical 15 drink total has nothing to do with its value.

" I have no idea how people know when they will be hungry"

 

If you are accustomed to eating at a specific time at home, chances are your body clock tells you it's time. Doesn't matter if you are on vacations or not.

 

Anything later than 6/6:30 for us doesn't work.

 

I'm sure some have a medical condition ( diabetes comes to mind) that makes them eat at specific times.

Ehhh....not in my case since everything about a vacation is different from the home routine. We will have days on board where we are up early for a port. That means early breakfast, early lunch and an early dinner. Other days, especially at sea, we get a later start. That means late breakfast, late lunch and late dinner.

Unless I want to be starving or not hungry 50% of the time then Any Time is the only thing that works. I have been seated at too many early times not that hungry and been starving by the time the late seating rolled around. The pick your time options on the various lines has been great for us.

Yup....a large group is harder to work in using Any Time. Either choose the sub par options or be prepared to check-in at the dining room and enjoy a drink at the nearby bar for a few minutes until you are called. There will be a wait but I would guess no longer than 15-20 minutes worst case.

Yes....you can swap them when needed and take them anywhere.

But the states have already verified the name change. that makes it a legal document with the legal name change.

.....both are legal documents but the link that needs to be made is that the two are connected to the same person. That process is easy for males because the names and DOB match, not so easy for females with a name change.

Just because you have Jane Doe standing in front of you with her DL does not mean the BC she has for Jane Smith is connected. It is not uncommon for people to share similar names with the same DOB.

You eat when you are hungry instead of a set time. Set time never worked well for us, we were never hungry at the early seating and starving by the late seating. Any Time made cruise dining much more enjoyable for use, you go eat when you are hungry just like in normal life.

No need to print in color.....

I have always wondered why they needed a marriage certificate if you have a driver's license. States require proof of your marriage before they will change your name to your married name. Your license has your picture on it for most states. That license now becomes your legal proof of identity.

To link the BC to the DL since the names no longer match.

I have got down to 5 days before. Sometimes it happens.